


Inheritance

by Nath



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, recipe fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 18:50:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4757144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nath/pseuds/Nath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A taste from history in two drabbles and a double drabble - originally written for the October 2014 challenge, Sweet or Savoury, at the Lotr-genfic LJ community; my element was 'spicy'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Inheritance

_Armenelos, Númenor – around S.A. 850_

"The lord Aldarion wants that spicy peasants' dish for his dinner tonight," one of the lord's squires announced with a disapproving sniff as he walked in to the kitchen.

"Then that is what he will get," the cook answered, "Though I'm sure he didn't put it quite like that, young man. " He didn't say that the dish in question wasn't a peasant dish, but a sailors' one. As soon as the squire left, the cook shook his head and sighed. _But if the Master wants that dish, he's starting to pine for the sea again…_ That, _he_ disapproved of.

 

_On shipboard in the Icebay of Forochel, T.A. 1974_

"King's delight? With no pork? More like King's surprise, if you ask me," the ensign said. "Why's it called King's delight, anyway?"

"Don't know, and it's not _my_ fault we're out of pork," the other ensign replied with a shrug. "You can always go and ask the Icemen if they have any. With luck, they'll give you a few blocks of frozen rancid seal blubber."

"I'll have some, even without pork. How did we end up with no pork?" the first ensign asked.

"We _did_ leave in a hurry when we got word of the King's whereabouts," the other shrugged.

 

_Somewhere in Eriador – T.A. 2953_

"What's for dinner?" Aragorn asked.

Halbarad, who was trying to unpick the knot on a small packet wrapped in waxed cloth, mumbled something from which Aragorn could only understand the word surprise.

"I only asked," he replied.

"No, that's what it's called," Halbarad said. "Ranger's surprise."

"With a name like that dare I ask what is in it?" Aragorn replied.

"Well, it _should_ have field peas, bacon, onions, pork or chicken, garlic and a bunch of herbs and spices." Halbarad stirred the pot on the fire. "Unfortunately, we're out of dried peas, so I used beans, and wild boar counts as pork, but we have no bacon, and I could only find one small onion…"

"I can see the surprise element," Aragorn laughed. "But how is this different from any other stew we eat?"

"The secret's in the spices," Halbarad said. "You will see."

"Hmm, not bad at all," Aragorn said some time later as they ate, huddled in the doubtful shelter of a rocky overhang as the rain poured down outside. "I suppose you're not going to give me the recipe…?"

"Well…" Halbarad replied with a grin. "It is an old family recipe, so it's sort of yours anyway."

**Author's Note:**

> **A/N and recipe**
> 
>  
> 
> The recipe is supposedly a derivation of a traditional Dutch seaman's dish, but as the only place I've ever found it is in a 1980's collection of recipe cards from a Dutch brand (Conimex) of Indonesian spices and condiments, I'm taking that claim with a grain or two of salt. Looking at the ingredients, it's not entirely impossible, but I'd like to be sure. It's still tasty, though:-)
> 
>  **Nooitgedacht** ("Who would have thought it!")
> 
>   * 400 gr (canned, dried, fresh) field peas (if using dried peas, rehydrate and cook before adding them)
>   * 100 gr nasi/bami vegetables (nasi is Indonesian for rice, you might be able to get these in an ethnic shop – or for all I know Conimex is available in your local supermarket *g*; bami is Indonesian noodles)
>   * 300 gr bacon
>   * 2 onions
>   * 200 gr pork or chicken (in small-ish pieces)
>   * 1 clove garlic
>   * 1/2 teaspoon of sambal
>   * 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger
>   * 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder
>   * pepper, salt
> 

> 
> Fry the bacon and the onions, add the meat, add the garlic, spices, pepper, salt.  
> Stir.  
> Add vegetables, field peas (+ moisture from can if you use canned peas; if not, add an equivalent amount of water/stock)  
> Leave for about 20 minutes on low heat.  
> Serve (optional: with baked banana slices)


End file.
